Best books for innovation

As chosen by the Chartered Management Institute

Hands up how many of you have had the first glimmer of a golden business idea but somehow never got around to acting on it? It's all too easy to let that killer concept slip by the wayside - but with the right motivation and guidance, we can all tune into our inner Martha Lane Fox or Michelle Mone. The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) has recently released its top five best books on innovation and entrepreneurship, providing a wealth of precious tips for wannabe business moguls everywhere. Read on to find out more about the tomes they recommend and order your copy online...

The following books were shortlisted as the best books on Innovation & Entrepreneurship in the CMI Management Book of the Year competition, held in association with the British Library

1. From brainwave to business

From brainwave to business: how to turn your brilliant idea into a successful start-up, by Celia Gates

You have a great idea and are inspired to start up a business on the back of it. But what should you do first and what are the most important things to know and do to get your business off the ground? From Brainwave to Business is the book you need to get you moving and get you making money from your ideas. Wherever you are on your start-up journey, from creative brainstorming, to patenting and prototyping your ideas, to bringing them to market, this is your definitive guide to the actions you should take in order to be successful.

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2. Identifying hidden needs

Identifying hidden needs: creating breakthrough products, by Keith Goffin, Fred Lemke and Ursula Koners

This book describes an approach to market research that uses new, probing methods to identify customers' hidden needs - requirements that customers have not even recognized themselves. Written by experts in the field, it takes a practical approach to explaining how to generate real customer insights and contains a wealth of international case studies demonstrating how breakthrough product development can be achieved.

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3. The innovator's DNA

The innovator's DNA: mastering the five skills of disruptive innovators, by Jeff Dyer, Hal Gregersen and Clayton M. Christensen

In The Innovator’s DNA, the authors build on what we know about disruptive innovation to show how individuals can develop the skills necessary to move progressively from idea to impact. By identifying behaviors of the world’s best innovators—from leaders at Amazon and Apple to those at Google, Skype, and Virgin Group—the authors outline five discovery skills that distinguish innovative entrepreneurs and executives from ordinary managers: Associating, Questioning, Observing, Networking, and Experimenting.

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4. Out of our minds: learning to be creative

Out of our minds: learning to be creative, 2nd ed., by Ken Robinson

There is a paradox. As children, most of us think we are highly creative; as adults many of us think we are not. What changes as children grow up? Organizations across the globe are competing in a world that is changing faster than ever. They say they need people who can think creatively, who are flexible and quick to adapt. Too often they say they can't find them. Why not? In this provocative and inspiring book, Ken Robinson addresses vital questions about creativity in business.

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5. Fixing Britain: the business of reshaping our nation

Fixing Britain: the business of reshaping our nation, by Digby Jones

In his candid and forthright style Fixing Britain puts the spotlight on critical national and international issues and lays out the essential reform urgently needed for the growth of our nation. Knowledgeable, authoritative and independent, Digby highlights how untenable the status quo is in the UK, and sets out how Britain can get back in – and stay in – the globalised game.

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Tags: business, advice